This invention relates to means for repairing or extending fluid carrying members, particularly to an attachment insertable into such a fluid carrying member, and more particularly to an internal pipe attachment mechanism utilizing spring tempered fingers and a seal assembly for repairing or extending fluid carrying members.
Fluid carrying members, such as pipes, casings, conduits, lines, used in transporting fluids such as natural gas, oil, water, steam, heat exchanges, etc. become damaged by various means, and repair of such becomes necessary. Besides corrosion of the fluid carrying members, they are damaged by being struck by construction equipment, etc., or by sabotage, such as by explosives used in the Kuwait oil fields. Also, it becomes necessary in some instances to extend such fluid carrying members, or replace an end piece, such as a flange, with a coupling or other end piece component.
Substantial effort has been directed to developing devices and methods for repairing fluid carrying members which stop leakage, such as caused by corrosion, and provide sealing about the repaired section. These prior approaches provide for mechanical connections and seals between the repair devices and the fluid carrying members which are implaced via explosive actuators, pyrotechnics, compressed air, hydraulic and mechanical means. These prior known repair and sealing approaches are exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,966 issued Jan. 1, 1974 to I. Lieberman relating to a method of explosively expanding sleeves in eroded tubes; Re. U.S. Pat. No. 30,802 reissued Nov. 24, 1981 to G. D. Rogers, Jr. relating to a method of securing a sleeve within a tube using outward plastic deformation of the sleeve and the tube; U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,847 issued Dec. 4, 1984 to T. H. Wentzell relating to compression sleeve tube repair involving an assembly composed of three main components for compressing-and expanding the sleeve; U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,801 issued Apr. 15, 1986 to R. M. Kobuch relating to a sleeving method using expander members to expand a sleeve inserted into a defective tube; U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,626 issued Mar. 10, 1987 to C. Vinciguerra et al. relating to a telescopic joint for repairing underwater pipelines using a cylinder-sheath-sleeve assembly; U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,870 issued Dec. 22, 1987 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,380 issued Dec. 27, 1988 to L. Szalvay relating to sleeve apparatus and method for repairing a damaged pipe wherein the sleeve is expanded by draw means against the inner surface of the pipe; U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,512 issued Jul. 17, 1990 to K. W. McParland relating to a method of repairing heat exchanger tube ends using an insert flared to the existing tube end; U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,650 issued Oct. 2, 1990 to G. Vigneron et al. relating to a method of repairing a metal tube in a heat exchanger using a sleeve which is welded to the inner surface of the damaged tube; U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,002 issued Apr. 23, 1991 to J. W. Kelly relating to a method for radially expanding and anchoring sleeves within tubes using hydraulic means; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,187 issued Oct. 8, 1991 to A. Sigel relating to a method and means for remote-controlled renovating of pipelines using a robot to install metal sheathing at the point of repair.
While these prior known methods and devices for repairing fluid carrying members provide satisfactory results, there exists a need for a method and means for quickly repairing fluid carrying members such as where the ends or connections to valves, distribution systems, etc. have been destroyed. This was exemplified by the Kuwait oil fields wherein control of the flow of oil and the extinguishing of oil fires required replacement of oil casing flanges, couplings, extensions to storage or distribution systems, etc. which had been destroyed.
The present invention fills that need by providing an internal pipe attachment mechanism wherein one end thereof is inserted into the damaged fluid carrying members, such as a pipe, casing, etc. and mechanically secured and sealed therein, while the other end includes a flange, coiling, etc. or a similar internal attachment mechanism for inserting into another pipe, etc. for extending the fluid carrying member. Thus, the present invention provides an attachment mechanism which can be rapidly installed in exposed ends of the fluid carrying members for repairing damaged member's or extending the length of such members.